GB2362579A

GB2362579A - Dual-purpose roller skate

Info

Publication number: GB2362579A
Application number: GB0012904A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yi-Chuan Hsu; Woan-Ru Shieh
Original assignee: CD Star Co Ltd
Current assignee: CD Star Co Ltd
Priority date: 2000-05-27
Filing date: 2000-05-27
Publication date: 2001-11-28
Also published as: GB0012904D0

Abstract

A dual purpose roller skate comprises a plurality of wheels 32, each housed in a frame 30 pivotable within a seat 28, in sole plate 14 of a boot wherein wheels 32 and frames 30 are turned by an external force applied to an adjustment device and located by device 36 disposed between frame 30 and seat 28. The adjustment device preferably comprises adjustment member 46 fastened at one end to frame 30 and threadedly engaged at the other to locking member 54 which is located in bore 24. Wheels 32 are preferably locked by tightening members 46, 54 together via hexagonal hole 60 in member 54 so that member 54 and frame 30 press against side plate 40 of seat 28 and unlocked by unscrewing members 46, 54 to form a gap between seat 28 and frame 30 and then turning frame 30 via hexagonal, slotted or cross-head tip 56 of member 46. Cooperating recesses 50, 52 and projections 42 on frames 30 and seats 28, and recesses (76, figure 7) and feathers (84, figure 8) may be provided for location.

Description

2362579 DUAL-PURPOSE ROLLER SKATE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a roller skate, and more particularly to a dual-purpose roller skate which can be converted for use as an ordinary shoe.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIG. 1, a dual-purpose roller skate of the prior art comprises a bottom plate I which is attached to the underside of a main body (not shown in the drawing). The bottom plate I is provided in the underside thereof with two protrusions 2 corresponding in location to the toe portion and the heel portion of the bottom plate 1. The bottom plate I is disposed in an outsole 3 which is provided therein with two receiving cells 4 for receiving the two protrusions 2. Two roller sets 5 are fastened with the two protrusions 2 by a plurality of fastening screws. The roller sets 5 are formed of a fastening seat 6, a pivoting seat 7, and a wheel 8 which can be extracted from or retracted into the receiving cell 4. The two wheels 8 are extracted to enable the dual- purpose roller skate to be

1 used as a roller skate. The two wheels 8 are retracted into the receiving cells 4 of the outsole 3 at such time when the dual-purpose roller skate is to be used as an ordinary footwear.

Such a prior art dual-purpose roller skate as described above is defective in design in that the outsole 3 is so thick as to accommodate the two roller sets 5 at the expense of the pliability of the outsole 3. In addition, the excessive thickness of the outsole 3 gives an added weight to the roller skate. Moreover, the extraction or retraction of the wheel 8 is done with finger which is apt to be soiled with dirt or even injured.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a dualpurpose roller skate free from the drawbacks of the dual-purpose roller skate of the prior art.

In keeping with the principle of the present invention, the foregoing objective of the present invention is attained by a dual-purpose roller skate comprising a boot, a sole plate provided in the underside thereof with two receiving compartments, and two wheel sets, with each comprising a wheel seat, a wheel frame, a wheel, an adjustment device, and a locating device. The wheel seat is mounted in the receiving compartment. The wheel frame is fastened pivotally with the wheel seat by the adjustment device. The wheel is pivoted to the wheel frame which can be actuated to swivel by an external force exerting on the adjustment device. The locating device is used to locate the wheel frame in the wheel seat.

2 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. I shows an exploded view of a dual-purpose roller skate of the prior art.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a dual-purpose roller skate of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4-6 show schematic views of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in action.

FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a side view of a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As shown in FIGS. 2-6, a dual-purpose roller skate embodied in the 3 present invention comprises a boot 12, a sole plate 14, and two wheel sets 16.

The boot 12 is mounted on the sole plate 14 which is made of a foam material and is provided in the underside thereof with two receiving compartments 22 corresponding respectively in location to the toe portion and the heel portion of the sole plate 14. The toe portion and the heel Portion are provided with a through hole 24 in communication with the receiving compartment 22.

The wheel sets 16 are formed respectively of a wheel seat 28, a wheel frame 30, a wheel 32, an adjustment device 34, and a locating device 36.

The wheel seat 28 has a top plate 38 and two side plates 40 extending from two longitudinal ends of the top plate 38 and perpendicular to the top plate 38. The wheel seat 28 is lodged in the receiving compartment 22.

The wheel frame 30 is fastened pivotally between the two side plates 40 of the wheel seat 28 by an adjusting member 46 and a pivoting member 48.

The wheel 32 is mounted on an axle which is fastened with the wheel frame 30.

The adjustment device 34 comprises the adjusting member 46 and a locking member 54. The adjusting member 46 has a tip which is provided with a hexagonal adjustment slot 56. The tip may be replaced by a slotted tip or phillips tip. The locking member 54 is a sleeve which is provided in one end thereof with an inner threaded hole 58 and in other end thereof with a hexagonal inner hole 60. The locking member 54 is put through the through hole 24 such that the locking member 54 presses against the side plate 40, and that the inner threaded hole 58 is engaged with the adjustment member 46.

The locating device 36 includes two first retaining portions 42 of the side plates 40 of the wheel seat 28, and two second retaining portions 50 and 52 of the wheel frame 30, which are recesses or projections engageable with the first retaining portions 42 which are projections or recesses.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the present invention is used as a roller skate by first loosening the locking member 54 to result in the formation of a gap between the wheel frame 30 and the side plates 40 of the wheel seat 28. Thereafter, the wheel frame 30 is turned by a hexagonal wrench which is engaged with the hexagonal adjustment slot 56 of the adjusting member 46. As a result, the wheel 32 is extracted out of the receiving compartment 22 such that the wheel 32 is located by the first retaining portions 42 and the second retaining portions 52. Finally, the locking member 54 is tightened up.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the present invention is used as an ordinary footwear by loosening the locking member 54 so as to retract the wheel 32 back into the receiving compartment 22 by turning the wheel frame 30 in reverse such that the first retaining portions 42 are engaged with the second retaining portions 50.

The embodiment of the present invention described above is to be regarded in all respects as being merely illustrative and not restrictive. Accordingly, the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without deviating from the spirit thereof. The present invention is therefore to be limited only by the scopes of the following appended claims.

As shown in FIG. 7, a dual-purpose roller skate 70 of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is basically similar in construction to the dual-purpose roller skate 10 of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, with the difference being that the dual-purpose roller skate 70 comprises the two hollow 76 of the side plates 74 of the wheel seat 72. Accordingly, when swinging until the arrect location, the wheel frame 78 are engaged between the two hollow 76 to add the strength between the wheel seat 72 and the wheel frame 78.

As shown in FIG. 8, the wheel seat 72 comprises a longitudinal feather 84 under the top plate 82 of the wheel seat 72, a closed space in the top of the wheel frame 78 and a slot 88 of the top plate 86 of the wheel frame 78, the slot 88 is lodged in the feather 84, hereby, when swinging until the arrect location, the wheel frame 78 are engaged between the two hollow 76, and the insetting action between the feather 84 and the slot 88 to develop the strength between the wheel seat 72 and the wheel frame 78.

As shown in FIG. 9, a dual-purpose roller skate 90 of the fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention is basically similar in construction to the dual-purpose roller skate 10 of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, with the difference being that the dual-purpose roller skate 90 comprises a link 93 bound between the two wheel sets 92, the cross section of the link 93 is hexagonal adjustment, the sole plate 94 comprises a canal 96 between the two receiving compartments 95 and the link 93 is allowed to put in the canal 96 to connect the pivoting member 97 of the two wheel sets 92 after adjusting one of the two wheel sets 92, the two wheel sets 92 move each other at the same time, and the cross section of the link 93 is not only hexagonal adjustment, it is more important to connect the two pivoting member 97 by the link 93.

6

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A dual-purpose roller skate comprising:

a boot; a sole plate on which said boot is mounted, said sole plate being provided in the underside thereof with a plurality of receiving compartments; a plurality of wheel sets, said wheel sets being equal in number to said receiving compartments and being formed of a wheel seat fastened in one of said receiving compartments, a wheel frame pivoted to said wheel seat, a wheel fastened pivotally with said wheel frame, an adjustment device fastened with a pivoting portion to which said wheel seat and said wheel frame are pivoted, said wheel frame being actuated to turn by an external force exerting on said ad ustment device such that j said wheel frame is located by a locating device whereby said locating device isdisposed in said wheel seat and said wheel frame.

2. The dual-purpose roller skate as defined in claim 1, wherein said sole plate is provided with a plurality of through holes, with each being in communication with one of said receiving compartments; and wherein said adjustment device comprises an adjusting member and a locking member, with said adjusting member being fastened at one end thereof with said wheel frame and provided at other end thereof with threads, said locking member being engaged with said adjusting member such that said locking member presses against said wheel seat.

3. The dual-purpose roller skate as defined in claim 2, wherein said adjusting member has a tip whereby said tip is provided with a hexagonal 7 slot.

4. The dual-purpose roller skate as defined in claim 3, wherein said tip of said adjusting member is a slotted tip.

5. The dual-purpose roller skate as defined in claim 3, wherein said tip of said adjusting member is a phillips tip.

6. The dual-purpose roller skate as defined in claim 2, wherein said locking member is a sleeve whereby said sleeve is provided in one end thereof with an inner threaded hole and in other end thereof with a polygonal inner hole.

7. The dual-purpose roller skate as defined in claim 1, wherein said locating device comprises at least one first retaining portion disposed in said wheel seat, and a plurality of second retaining portions disposed in said wheel frame such that said second retaining portions are engageable with said first retaining portion.

8. The dual-purpose roller skate as defined in claim 7, wherein said first retaining portion is a projection; and wherein said second retaining portions are recesses.

9. The dual-purpose roller skate as defined in claim 7, wherein said first retaining portion is a recess; and wherein said second retaining portions are projections.

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10. A dual-purpose roller skate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 2 to 6, or Figure 7, or Figure 8, or Figure 9, of the accompanying drawings.